Girl at the Rock Shows

I’ve had a couple of albums sitting on my desk to be reviewed for some time now. I feel terrible that it has taken me this long to get them but honestly, with Punk Rock Bowling on the calendar, my head was everywhere except with work. Now that I’ve conquered Punk Rock Bowling for a second year and am finally starting to feel alive again, it’s time to dig into these albums starting with ‘Meant To Be’ from Chris Perkins.

I thought something was wrong with my music player as “Pineapple” kicked off but quickly realized that the jerky sound that starts this song off was by design. It had me intrigued and really drew me in and I loved seeing how one chord that seemed to be a bit out of place with a drum hit that also seemed a bit out of place, came together with all of the other elements of this track to form something truly beautiful. This song is part jazz, part hip-hop, and all heart. Although the vocals almost come off as if being presented in a very monotone way, they have a sense of life and passion behind them that had me hanging on every word as they passed by. “Pineapple” truly drifted me off from the stress I had been feeling all day from trying to catch up from being out of town all weekend and I can not thank Chris enough for that element. I really needed it and it had me excited to check out the other three songs on this album.

“Champagne Kisses” changes everything when it comes to what I though Chris Perkins was all about. This song has a true jangle to it and a very upbeat almost indie-pop vibe to it which I was not expecting. Even with that, you still get Chris’ distinct vocals that bring such an undeniable sense of passion to this song. I loved the love-song vibe of this song and the soul that comes with every beat. Chris’ vocals seem to dance over the more tightly-bound instrumentation and the addition of the sound of bells every once in a while brings an almost fairytale-like vibe to the song. I’m not typically one for love songs but the way Chris made this part love song and part infectious bop is absolutely amazing.

That love-song vibe seems to be expanded on in “Memories” where Chris shows more of his tender side. “Memories” is one of those windows down, hand out the window, while cruising on a sunny seaside street type of songs. It’s very slow and deliberate but is so full of life and brings a true sense of energy to you as you listen to it. Much like “Pineapple”, I found a sense of calm in this song and, at times throughout this three minute eighteen second long track, I completely lost myself in all of the right ways. Instead of getting lost in thoughts and ideas, I was just lost in being and lost in just breathing which is something we all could use more of. Don’t take this the wrong way, “Memories” commands your attention throughout the track but it also whisks you away in a way that I haven’t had a song do in a long time.

‘Meant To Be’ closes out with “Thinkin Bout You”. This final song features KooyaBeats and brings the focus back to that more hip-hop and jazz inspired vibe that came through loud and clear during “Pineapple”. It also shows more of a somber mode of Chris Perkins. This song is honestly a bit heartbreaking when you dig into the lyrics but also so relatable for any of us who have loved and lost. Again, I was completely struck by the amount of calm that this song brought me. There’s something almost ambient about the instrumentation in this song. It sounds as though there’s an echoey effect on the instrumentation giving it an almost other-worldly feel that, again, just kind of drifts you away from everything while the vocals make sure you stay engaged in the gorgeous track.

I think checking out ‘Meant To Be’ from Chris Perkins today was (sorry for this) just ‘Meant To Be’. I know that’s cheesy but it’s true. Today has been a whirlwind of trying to jump back into work and I’ve been feeling so overwhelmed all day. Although I got a lot done, there’s still a lot more to do and this song gave me a moment to just breathe and escape from it all if only for about fifteen minutes. So get lost in the sound of Chris Perkins and check out ‘Meant To Be’. I promise it’s worth your time!

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